It has been know to have particular mechanisms to try to stop computers automatically accessing website and downloading information in bulk manner. Such downloads takes substantial access away from other users trying to enter website at the same time. However a further problem is the ready absorption of a database or information that should be protected by Copyright and only used in minimal portions by individuals.
An example of particular mechanisms to stop computers automatically accessing website and downloading information in bulk manner is for example, the RECAPTCHA system illustrated at http://recaptcha.net has been patented according to WO 2008/091675. This can be considered as a first level mechanism given that a user is simply required to repeat what is shown to them on the screen.
Patent documents implementing a graphical problem include US 2009/0138723 which requires the user to view a distorted image and enter keywords identifying objects that appear in front of them US 2004/0199597 and US2008/0320554 the user is required to simply input the distorted words shown to them.
A second level mechanism of visual means could be considered as illustrating a stronger level of effectiveness against breaches of security by different human problem solving skills. This is shown by US 2009/0138723. However the invention disclosed by US 2009/0138723 may be overcome by complex bots undertaking standard computational analysis of light and dark pixels, which may recognize the silhouette of such images.
A third category is required to overcome the disadvantages of the first and second level patent documents.
There have been some attempts at a third level such as US 2008/0127302, which discloses the use of an animation as a security system. The patent document adopts visual problems but such a mechanism does not require the user to actively take part in the de-encryption process. In particular, this US patent document only requires the user to type what is shown to them at a particular point in the animation. It does not require any intuitive level of skills.
US 2008/0049939 discloses the use of visual images in the form of inkblots, personal associations and imaginative inferring problems. An individual is allocated a particular password and problems. There is no right or wrong answer; the user must simply answer consistently. Such a system can be hacked into by relatives or acquaintances of the user knowing the user and likely interpretative answers of the user. Strong intuitive skills are not required as the user is merely required to state what they see. The invention lacks the randomness and the level of security of having only one correct answer.
Therefore the prior art systems are readily determinable in a computational manner. They do not use intuitive human thinking distinctly from computational logical thinking of computers however directly disclose within the document use of graphical problems.
It is known that online games currently include noughts and crosses, chessboards, snakes and ladders etc. Such can have devised computational means of solution. However a computer can only follow particular rules in order to solve. These rules are clearly determinable limitations such that computer solutions are different to human intuitive solutions.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of generating a Completely Automated Public Test to tell Computers and Humans Apart (CAPTCHA), and more particularly to a method that can be used as an entry point to online websites or protected sections, pages or links of websites that overcomes or at least ameliorates one or more of the problems of the prior art.